Crystal Cruises

Crystal Cruises
Subsidiary
Industry Transportation
Founded 1988
Headquarters Los Angeles, Miami
Key people
  • Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, Chairman
  • Edie Rodriguez, President and CEO
  • Thomas Mazloum, Chief Operating Officer
Products Cruises
Parent
Website www.crystalcruises.com

Crystal Cruise Lines, most commonly referred to as Crystal Cruises, is an American luxury cruise line[1][2] with its headquarters in Los Angeles in the United States. The line was established in 1988 as a wholly owned subsidiary of the large Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK).

Condé Nast Traveler magazine speaks highly of Crystal Cruise Lines, voting it Best Midsize Cruise Ship Line.[3] The cruises offered by Crystal Cruises include an annual World Cruise on the Crystal Serenity of about 110 days in length.

In March 2015, NYK announced that it was selling Crystal Cruises to Genting Hong Kong (GHK), the owner of Star Cruises and a major shareholder in Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. The transfer was expected to close within the second quarter of 2015.

History

The company was founded in 1988 and is notable for its two medium-sized, high-end ships, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity, each of which carries about 1,000 guests. In 2003, the new Crystal Serenity entered service with Crystal Cruises. In 2005, the Crystal Harmony,[4] was retired from the Crystal fleet and transferred to the parent company, underwent some renovations, renamed the Asuka II, and now caters to the Japanese cruise market as part of Asuka Cruises.

On March 3, 2015, NYK announced that it was selling Crystal Cruises to Genting Hong Kong (GHK), the owner of Star Cruises and a major shareholder in Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.[5] The sale price was US$550 million in cash, subject to certain adjustment items.[6] Simultaneously, NYK announced that Crystal Cruises would be building a new ship, but did not provide any specifics, such as the new ship's size, or date of entry into service.[5] In a statement accompanying NYK's announcement, GHK said that it would provide financial resources and proven expertise in innovative ship design, to build the new ship so as to set the highest standard in luxury cruise ships.[6] On May 15, 2015, GHK announced that it had closed on the acquisition.[7]

Brand Expansion

On July 20, 2015, Crystal announced major expansion plans, including new subsidiary brands and holiday types.

Yachts

Starting in December 2015, yacht cruises are offered on board the newly acquired Crystal Esprit. The 62-guest, 3,000-tonnage yacht is outfitted with special features including a two-passenger submarine, four 10-passenger zodiacs for special excursions and a 12-passenger Wider 32-foot super yacht tender for special boating adventures. Additionally, water skis, wake boards, kayaks, jet skis, fishing, scuba, and snorkel equipment are all available for passengers.[8][9]

Debuting in 2018, Crystal will take the delivery of the Crystal Endeavor, the first purpose-built polar class megayacht.[10]

River cruises and Air travel

In July 2016, Crystal launched Crystal River Cruises with the debut of the re-imagined Crystal Mozart, and in 2017 it will introduce four new build river yachts and Crystal Luxury Air, bringing the brand to river cruising and luxury air tours. Crystal Luxury Air will be the first in the luxury travel industry to offer around-the-world trips on the world's most advanced twin-aisle Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and a Boeing 777-200LR Business Jet.[8][9][11]

Exclusive ships

Finally, in 2018, Crystal will launch the first of three new "Crystal Exclusive Class" cruise ships with the first expected for delivery in late 2018. Genting Hong Kong has signed a letter of intent with Lloyd Werft in Germany to build the polar ice class vessels.[8][9]

SS United States

It was announced on February 4, 2016 that Crystal Cruises has signed a purchase option for the SS United States, Crystal will cover docking costs in Philadelphia for nine months while it conducts a feasibility study.[12][13]

The plan was formally dropped on August 5, 2016, citing too many technical challenges. But Crystal Cruises did announce a donation of $350,000 to cover docking costs through the end of the year.[14]

Fleet

Current fleet

Ship Built Builder Entered service
for Crystal 		Gross Tonnage Flag Notes Image
Crystal Symphony 1995 Kvaerner Masa-Yards 1995 51,044 tons  Bahamas
Crystal Serenity 2003 Chantiers de l'Atlantique 2003 68,870 tons  Bahamas
Crystal Esprit 1991 Flender Werke 2015 3,370 GT Previously MegaStar Taurus
Part of the newly launched Crystal Yacht Cruises sub-brand.[8][9][15]

Former fleet

Ship Built Builder Entered service
for Crystal 		Gross Tonnage Flag Notes Image
Crystal Harmony 1989 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries 1990–2006 50,142 tons  Bahamas

Future ships

Ship Class Inaugural run Gross tonnage Notes Image
Crystal Endeavor Yacht (PC6 Polar Class) 2018 25,000 GT This ship is scheduled for delivery in 2018.[10]
TBA Crystal Exclusive Class (polar ice-class) 2019[16] 117,000 GT This ship is scheduled for delivery in 2019 instead of 2018, being the first of three.[8][9]
TBA Crystal Exclusive Class (polar ice-class) TBA 117,000 GT Second Crystal Exclusive Class ship.[8][9]
TBA Crystal Exclusive Class (polar ice-class) TBA 117,000 GT Third Crystal Exclusive Class ship.[8][9]

Interiors

The Crystal Symphony is the smaller of the two, holding 940 passengers.[17] It was last refurbished in 2012. The Crystal Serenity can hold 1,050 passengers and about 650 crew, and was last refurbished in 2011.[18]

Each Crystal ship features two specialty restaurants, including the Italian restaurant Prego (overseen by Piero Selvaggio of Valentino restaurants), and Silk Road and the Sushi Bar (overseen by Japanese restaurateur Nobu Matsuhisa[19]). Specialty restaurants require a cover charge $30 per person, per dining experience.[20] Daytime activities include pools, lectures, a movie theater, lessons by Yamaha keyboard instructors,[21] and instruction by Berlitz language teachers.[22]

Casinos

Crystal Cruises enlisted Caesars World to operate an onboard casino, Caesars Palace at Sea, on its first liner, Crystal Harmony.[23] The partnership continued with Crystal's current vessels, Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity.[24] Each casino had about eight table games and 100 slot machines. Caesars received "minute" earnings from the casinos, but considered them good marketing.[24] The management agreements with Caesars expired in the spring of 2006.[25]

In February 2015 Crystal Cruises announce that passengers will be able to use on-board credit in the casinos on their ships, making it the first to allow credit other than cash in a cruise ship casino.[26]

References

Notes

  1. ↑ "404".
  2. ↑ Hutcheon, Helen (3 November 2013). "The fab four". The Australian. Retrieved 13 May 2014.
  3. ↑ "Travel Inspiration".
  4. ↑ Miramar Ship Index: Crystal Harmony, ID#8806204.
  5. 1 2 Sloan, Gene (March 3, 2015). "Shake-up in luxury cruising as Crystal gets new owner". USA Today. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
  6. 1 2 Dake, Shawn (March 3, 2015). "Crystal Cruises Sold To Genting Hong Kong For $550 Million". Maritime Matters. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
  7. ↑ Norton Masek, Theresa (May 16, 2015). "Crystal CEO Rodriguez Comments on 'Thrilling, Yet Bittersweet' Sale". TravelPulse.com. Retrieved May 17, 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "404".
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Crystal: Three New 100,000 Ton Ships, Plus Luxury Yacht, River Cruises and Boeing 787 - Cruise Industry News - Cruise News".
  10. 1 2 "Crystal Orders New 200-Passenger Yacht - Cruise Industry News - Cruise News".
  11. ↑ Drum, Bruce (18 November 2015). "Crystal Luxury Air to launch operations with a Boeing 777-200LR".
  12. ↑ "Crystal Signs Purchase Option for SS United States - Cruise Industry News - Cruise News".
  13. ↑ "S.S. United States, Historic Ocean Liner of Trans-Atlantic Heyday, May Sail Again". The New York Times. 4 February 2016.
  14. ↑ "Crystal Drops SS United States Project - Cruise Industry News - Cruise News".
  15. ↑ Knego, Peter (December 21, 2015). "CRYSTAL ESPRIT Christened". Maritime Matters. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  16. ↑ "New Crystal Ship Delivery Pushed Back to 2019". 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
  17. ↑ Cudahy, Brian J. (2001). The Cruise Ship Phenomenon in North America, p. 269; Haworth, R.B. Miramar Ship Index: Crystal Symphony, ID#9066667.
  18. ↑ "404".
  19. ↑ Sloan, Gene. USA Today http://www.usatoday.com/travel/cruises/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=44498316.blog. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  20. ↑ "Cruise Guidebook - Dining". Crystal Cruises. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  21. ↑ "News & Events - Yamaha United States".
  22. ↑ Beyette, Beverly (28 May 2006). "What makes a cruise a 5-star experience? It's all in the details". Los Angeles Times.
  23. ↑ Yoshihashi, Pauline (5 April 1989). "Cruise line owned by Japanese bets on floating casino". Wall Street Journal. via ProQuest. Retrieved 2012-05-03. (subscription required)
  24. 1 2 Berns, Dave (17 Mar 1997). "Cruise ships lure gaming clients". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
  25. ↑ Form 10-K (Report). Harrah's Entertainment. 14 March 2006. p. 15.
  26. ↑ "Crystal Move to end Casino Discrimination". Cruise.co.uk News. Feb 11, 2015.

Bibliography

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